HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION

As trainers of your students and young workers, you are responsible for educating them on workplace health and safety including (but not limited to): safe work practices, worker's rights, the importance of learning in safety meetings and other trainings, and complying with rules and regulations. To reduce the risk of injury and increase productivity, see the information below:

In summary, California employers are required to take four steps to prevent heat illness:

Employee/Supervisor Training - train all employees and supervisor about heat illness prevention and your preventative procedures before they are assigned to work in the heat.

Water - provide enough fresh water so that each student or employee can drink at least one quart per hour for the entire work shift. They must be allowed enough time to drink. Make the drinking water readily accessible by placing it close.

Shade - make shade available at all times. Provide access to shade for at least five minutes of rest when an employee believes he or she needs a preventative recovery period. They should not wait until they feel sick to do so.

Planning - develop and implement written procedures for complying with the Cal/OSHA Heat Illness Prevention Standard including procedures for Emergency Response and acclimatization.

Other Regulatory Requirements - Ensure the availability of personnel certified to provide first aid at their work sites (see T8 CCR 1512, 3400, 3421, 3439 and 6251).

The following Best Practice Ideas can help you develop and put into place an effective program to prevent and respond to heat illness.

1. Training

Students and young workers must be trained to never discount any discomfort or symptoms they feel when working in the heat or after work. They must also be trained to immediately report any discomfort or symptoms to their teacher and or supervisor.

Preventative Recovery Periods - Individuals should be encouraged never to discount any discomfort or symptoms they are experiencing. They should immediately report any problems they are experiencing to a teacher, coworker or supervisor.

To prevent heat illness, there must be a balance between the heat load on the body (from work and hot weather) and the heat released from the body allowing it to cool. Shade and/or Alternative Measures can be used to provide cooling during breaks, lunch or during a Preventative Recovery Period. Shade should be available at all times. During a heat wave, extra measures in addition to shade may be needed to prevent heat illness. When individuals are in the shade (or using other cooling measures) always ensure that:

The shade covers their entire body

The alternative cooling measures are effective at cooling the body

They are able to assume comfortable body postures off the ground.

Sufficient supplies of drinking water are close, and

They are encouraged to frequently drink sufficient amounts of water

Cooling Using Shade

Cooling Using Alternative Measures

Preventative Recovery Periods

Extra measures during a heat wave

4. Planning

The best way to prevent and respond to heat illness is to develop an effective written program and then put it into practice. To maximize the effectiveness of your program:

Tailor it to include procedures and measures that apply to your particular work site, activities, students, and employees

Communicate your work practices to students and employees in real time

Build in flexibility by adjusting your work practices to respond as temperature and other risk factors change throughout the day

Provide training and always closely supervise students and young workers